Too Many Offers? Make Them Stop!
Pre-screened credit card offers account for a depressingly large amount of junk mail. We’re all familiar with those marketing ploys that congratulate us on our pre-approval, never mind the fact that we can’t be pre-approved for a card we didn’t apply for!
But don’t make the mistake of tossing out these offers like regular junk mail. Left intact, they are tempting targets for identity thieves. These offers should be shredded or otherwise destroyed before they ever hit a wastebasket, lest thieves start accumulating debt on your behalf.
Even better, use Opt Out Pre-Screen to stop receiving unwanted credit card offers. Opt Out Pre-Screen is an official service in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which gives customers the right to decline such mailings.
By filling out the online form, you can opt out of pre-screened credit offers for five years. If you mail in a paper form, you can opt out for good. If you later change your mind, you can always opt back in. One caveat: It can take weeks or months for the offers to stop coming. But when they do, and you’ve reclaimed your mailbox space, you’ll know that the minute or so you spent filling out the form was a minute or two well spent.
